


Five Dates with Katsuki Yuuri

by misha_katsuki



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Anxiety, Ballet Dancer Katsuki Yuuri, Ballet Dancer Viktor Nikiforov, Bisexual Katsuki Yuuri, Blind Date, Drunk Katsuki Yuuri, Fluff, M/M, Phichimetti is real, Phichit Chulanont Is a Good Friend, Romantic Comedy, Viktor's Cadillac, eating your feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-04 15:17:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12171471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misha_katsuki/pseuds/misha_katsuki
Summary: On the subway ride home, Phichit confronted Yuuri about his behavior. “Wow, Yuuri, towards the end ofthe night, you really spaced out. What were you thinking about? It’s like you weren’t even there.”“I’m sorry. I was trying really hard but something insane happened when I left the table. I tripped in thehallway and fell straight into the arms of Viktor Nikiforov.”Phichit choked on his own spit, and pressed his finger to Yuuri’s chest. “Do. Not. Bullshit. Me.”





	Five Dates with Katsuki Yuuri

**Author's Note:**

> After a breakup, Phichit and Drunk Yuuri create a Tinder account for Yuuri, which leads to five dates.
> 
> Trigger Warning for Anxiety and Emotional Eating

Phichit smiled brightly at Yuuri as he stumbled out of his bedroom. He resented how cheerful Phichit was. Didn’t he know that he had been hit by a truck last night? At least that’s what it felt like.

“Do you want some water? How you doing there, sunshine?” Phichit asked. He was laughing a little too much. “Seems like you had a really good time last night. How are you feeling this morning?”

Yuuri groaned, and took the water from him, gulping it down greedily as he sat at the kitchen table. “I hurt all over. I hate Past Me so much.”

“The party was a great success, though…thanks to Drunk Yuuri.”

Yuuri rubbed his temples. “Oh my God. Oh my God. What did he…I…do...?”

“What do you remember?”

“It’s not so much a memory as the glimpse of a dream? I hope it was a dream. Please tell me it was a dream, Peach.”

Phichit leaned forward and put his chin on his hands. “Tell me what you dreamed about and I’ll tell you if it happened or not.”

Yuuri cleared his throat, and ran his hands through his hair. “Um…well…I dreamed that I danced. And your boyfriend… he and I danced on a portable stripper pole? Oh God…if it’s real, I also dreamed you took pictures and filmed it. Please, no.”

Phichit picked up his phone and waved it in his face. “Drunk Yuuri gets a lot of likes. A LOT of likes. And I’ll forgive you for manhandling Chris on the stripper pole, since it was his idea, and his pole.” Phichit winked as he said the word ‘pole’.  “Everyone loved it! You have nothing to be embarrassed about, really.”

Yuuri grimaced. “I have everything to be embarrassed about. I keep thinking about what Stephen said when he broke up with me…”

“…’Yuuri, you have a drinking problem and you need help’…” Phichit said, perfectly mimicking Stephen’s “New Yawk” accent. “Look, Stephen was way too uptight. He was practically a Puritan!”

“He was a good boy and he was nice to me…”

“But he didn’t like the real you. He was always trying to change you, Yuuri. You can find someone who will love the real you. It’s been a month. It’s time for you to start dating again.”

“Nooooooo…”

“Yes! And that is why last night after everyone left, Drunk Yuuri and I made a Tinder profile for you. And you already have some likes!”

Yuuri looked on his phone and found the Tinder app. “Ohhhh no no no no no,”

Phichit grabbed the phone out of Yuuri’s hand. “Yes yes yes yes yes!” Yuuri lunged for the phone. Phichit nimbly moved out of his reach, and opened the Tinder app. 

“How about you look at the likes with me, Yuuri. Just choose someone to go on a date with. Just one date, okay?”

Yuuri sighed. “Fine.”

*   *   *   *   *  
  


**Date #1 – Leo**

The Java Hut wasn’t too far from Yuuri and Phichit’s apartment. Yuuri usually went there for a first date because he could walk home if things went badly. Plus, the atmosphere was friendly, and it was never too crowded. He was able to take his favorite corner table, after ordering a green tea from the barista, who had a world-weary expression.

Yuuri looked at his phone. 705pm. Leo was a few minutes late, but maybe he got lost. It wasn’t like he was that excited to be on this date, anyway. He was just doing it as an experiment – to see what was out there, and see if anyone was worth his time.

He had finished his green tea. His phone now read 715pm. Yuuri drummed his fingers on the table and stared out the window, watching the cars go by. There was no way he would forget seeing the hot pink Cadillac convertible that had a large brown poodle hanging its head out the side. That was the happiest dog he had ever seen, and the most ridiculous car he had ever seen as well. He smiled broadly at the sight.

Yuuri sighed and pushed his chair back. He was going to give this experiment up as a failure. Leo hadn’t even had the decency to send him a message saying he was going to be late. He probably took one look at Yuuri sitting in the corner, with his glasses and his messy hair, and decided he wasn’t interested.

On the way home, Yuuri sent Phichit a text. He didn’t want to walk in on Phichit and Chris making out or whatever else they might be doing. He still had PTSD from that time he came home early while Chris was giving Phichit an expertly executed blowjob. Yuuri might have been a bit jealous. Phichit was definitely more than a bit angry about being interrupted.

Yuuri made extra noise while unlocking the door. He opened it and shouted, “ _ Tadaima _ !”

Phichit replied, “ _ Okaeri _ !” He and Chris were snuggling on the couch and watching  _ RuPaul’s Drag Race _ . “You’re home early. What went wrong?”

“Leo was a no-show. He probably took one look at me and ran the other direction.”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “I highly doubt that,  _ cherie _ .”

“Well, he didn’t message to say he’d be late. That’s unforgivable in my book.” Yuuri plopped down on the easy chair and pulled out his phone. “Leo – deleted with extreme prejudice.”

“Well, that hardly counts as a date. You’ll have to try again!”  
  


*   *   *   *   *

**Date #2 – Seung Gil**

This time, when Yuuri walked into the Java Hut, he saw his date waiting for him. That was a nice change of pace from the last time. He waved at Seung Gil, ordered his green tea, and brought it to their table. 

Seung Gil stood and shook Yuuri’s hand to greet him. He had a very serious expression on his face, and a stiff demeanor. He noticed that his date had brought his dog along. 

“I was glad that you chose this location. They let me bring my dog here. I don’t like to leave him by himself too often because he gets anxious.”

Yuuri bent down and patted the dog’s head. “What his name?”

“Eun. It means ‘silver’ in Korean.”

“He’s a beautiful dog…very soft!”

Yuuri sat back up and drank some of his tea. “So, what brings you to New York, Seung Gil?”

Seung Gil replied shortly, “My studies.”

“What are you studying?” 

“Mechanical engineering.”

Yuuri took a long sip of his tea. Seung Gil was attractive enough, but he didn’t seem like much fun. Usually, Yuuri was the one who didn’t want to talk much on a first date, but Seung Gil was even quieter than he was, which made for awkward conversation.

“I see. Um, so, how long have you had Eun? Did you get him as a puppy?”

Seung Gil relaxed when he was talking about his dog. Yuuri loved dogs, so he was happy to keep the topic of discussion focused on that. 

“Oh gosh, it’s already eight o’clock,” Yuuri exclaimed, glancing at his phone. “I should really get going. I have an early class tomorrow.” School didn’t start for a couple more weeks, but what Seung Gil didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Seung Gil nodded. “I don’t live far from here. Do you want to walk Eun home with me?”

Yuuri’s eyes widened in surprise. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to see Seung Gil again, but he supposed would be impolite to say no. Plus, it would give him an excuse to be around the dog longer. “Um, sure! Okay.”

They got up, and Seung Gil handed Yuuri the dog’s leash. Yuuri missed having a dog. It wasn’t feasible for him and Phichit to have one right now due to their crazy schedules, so he made do with Phichit’s hamsters.

“I love dogs,” Yuuri said, immediately cringing at how dumb that sounded. 

Seung Gil smiled. “I love them too. They really are the best companions.”

Yuuri laughed. “Better than humans?”

“Much.” 

He didn’t know what to say to that…so they walked in silence after that. Seung Gil only lived a few blocks away, and they reached his door quickly.

“Well, it was nice meeting –“

Yuuri’s words were cut off by an unexpected kiss. Yuuri had never been kissed like this…so…wetly. It was absolutely disgusting. Seung Gil was slobbering all over him in the most horrifying way.

Yuuri gently pushed him off, and controlled the urge to wipe his mouth, chin, and neck. “Um, goodnight.”

Seung Gil closed the door behind him, smiling with his lips but not with his eyes. It was very unsettling.

Yuuri turned away and wiped his face with his scarf as he ran down the stairs. He ran blindly and crashed into a man on the street. Yuuri didn’t look to see who it was, he just called out an apology and continued running.

The man watched Yuuri run down the street. He placed a finger on his lips and grinned.  
  


*   *   *   *   *

**Date #3 – Sara**

“Peach, I think I’m gonna give up on this dating thing. It just isn’t working out for me right now.”

Phichit set the game controller down and turned to face Yuuri on the couch. “No. You can’t give up yet. I know there is someone out there for you! Don’t you want to be as happy as I am?”

“Look, not everyone is as lucky as you are and finds a tall European with a hot ass,” Yuuri said with a chuckle.

Phichit gasped as if he were scandalized, but then laughed. “I can’t disagree…Chris is godlike.”

“I know that you’re gonna say New York is a big place and that I’ll find a guy like Chris if I keep looking, yadda yadda yadda.”

“ I wouldn’t have even met Chris if it weren’t for you! I am obligated by the universe to pay you back.” He thought for a moment. “Hmmmm…what if your soulmate was a girl and not a guy? I remember you’ve dated a few of the ladies over the years.”

“Hmmmm…that is true. It’s been a while since I dated a girl. Girls are so much more work, you know? They require more…finesse.”

“I believe in you, Yuuri. You’re the finessiest.”

*   *   *   *   *

Yuuri walked into Java Hut. As soon as the barista saw him, he started making a green tea. He handed it over and wished Yuuri luck on his date. He blushed and ducked his head down after he paid for it. He was definitely coming here too often.

A few minutes later, Sara walked in. She was dark-haired and glamorous. She sat across from him with her cappuccino and flashed him a winning smile. 

“Yuuri, it’s so nice to meet you! You’re even cuter than your pictures.” 

“Uhhh, thanks?” Yuuri didn’t think he was ‘cute’ in any sense of the word. “Um, and you look very pretty.”

“Thank you!” Sara said, as she flipped her hair off of her shoulder. “It’s so nice to escape. It seems like I’m always either at school or stuck at home with my brother.”

“Oh, do you have to babysit him?” Yuuri asked.

Sara laughed. “No! He’s my twin. He’s just very protective. He keeps a watch over me a lot.”

“Hmmm. Well, it’s not my place to say so, but that doesn’t sound very fun for you.”

Sara set her mouth in a hard line. “It’s exhausting, but he has his reasons, I guess.”

Yuuri could tell this was a difficult topic for her so he changed the subject. They had a lot of things in common – they both liked the same music, movies, and TV shows. He felt more relaxed on a date than he had in a while.

Suddenly, the door to the Java Hut burst open, and a very angry man strode purposefully towards their table. Yuuri’s heart leapt into his throat, but he was ready to use his krav maga moves if necessary.

Sara turned her head and sighed. “It’s my brother, Mickey. He has a tracker app on his phone so he always knows where to find me.”

Mickey grabbed Sara’s arm and pulled her up out of her chair. “What are you doing here? And who is…THIS?” 

“Mickey, this is Yuuri. He and I are on a date. I am over 18 years old and am an adult who can make my own choices about dating. We’ve discussed this before.” She shook her arm out of his grasp.

Mickey leaned over the table, his face inches away from Yuuri’s. He stood up, took off his glasses, put them in his pocket, and got ready to defend himself. “Do you have a problem with me?” Yuuri said, his voice low and calm. He usually only felt this way before a dance performance – he was in character now – confident and assured.

Everyone in the Java Hut was staring at Mickey and Yuuri as they faced off. Both men were glaring at each other. Neither one was going to back off. The barista seemed to be struggling between calling the police, and filming the scene for World Star Hip Hop. 

A dog barked, breaking the tension. Yuuri blinked quickly a few times, losing his façade. “I – I t-t-think I’d better l-leave,” he stammered, as he rushed out the door.

The dog’s owner bent down to calm his barking poodle. “It’s okay, Makkachin. Good girl.”

*   *   *   *   *

Yuuri slammed the door behind him and took off his shoes, throwing them down angrily. He whipped the scarf from his neck and pointed accusingly at Phichit. “I just had the WORST date of my life! No more!”

Phichit ran over to Yuuri with a concerned look on his face. “What happened? You look like you’ve been through the wringer.”

Yuuri stomped over to the kitchen, opening the freezer door, and grabbing the pint of Haagen-Daazs from the top shelf. He sat at the kitchen table, and started eating directly from the package. “This is a problem only ice cream can solve, Peach.”

Phichit sat next to Yuuri and put a comforting arm around him. “Eating your feelings isn’t your best option. Hand over the ice cream and let’s talk about what happened.”

Yuuri begrudgingly handed the ice cream back to Phichit and put his head in his hands. “It was humiliating.” He proceeded to tell Phichit what had happened at the Java Hut. “I can never go back there again.”

“Damn, Yuuri! That guy sounds psycho! I’m glad you weren’t hurt. And of course you can go back there again. The other guy was the problem, not you. You did the right thing and didn’t engage with that bastard.”

“Maybe you’re right. Either way, I’m definitely not using this cursed app anymore.” Yuuri picked up his phone and deleted the app. Phichit didn’t try to stop him.

“I have a better idea than an app anyway,” Phichit said with a gleam in his eye.   
  
“Oh no, you’ve got that look on your face again.”

“Instead of using an app to find love, how about going on a double date with Chris and I? Chris knows someone he says would be perfect for you…” Phichit grinned that sneaky grin that said he would not take no for an answer. 

*   *   *    *   *

**Date #4 – Double Date with Chris and Phichit**

“I don’t feel well, Peach. I think I’m gonna have to bow out.”

Phichit sat on Yuuri’s bed. “I can barely understand you from underneath your pillow, but it sounded like you’re trying to weasel out of the double date.”

“My stomach hurts, I can’t breathe, please don’t make me go.”

Phichit took the pillow away from Yuuri, whose face was flushed.

Phichit placed a palm on Yuuri’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever. Take some deep breaths. Here, follow me.”

Phichit took a deep breath, held it, and exhaled through his mouth. “Sit up. Let’s breathe this out.”

Yuuri sat up, facing Phichit, and they did breathing exercises together for several minutes. 

“Do you feel better now? You look calmer. Do you want some water?”

Yuuri nodded, his eyes welling up. Phichit fetched him some water and handed it over. He reached over and smoothed Yuuri’s hair while he drank the water. 

“You’re so good to me, Peach. I don’t deserve you. You’re a good friend.” A tear rolled down his cheek.

Phichit wiped the tear away, and hugged Yuuri. “Don’t be silly. You’re a good friend too, you’re just a little high maintenance sometimes.” He smiled, to show he was joking. Yuuri let out a halfhearted laugh, then sniffled.

“Come on, let’s choose your outfit for tonight.”

*   *   *   *   *

Yuuri and Phichit got to the restaurant before Chris and his friend arrived. The reservation was under Chris’s name, and they were seated at a secluded table. 

Yuuri grabbed the menu. He would probably go with his usual “safe” option at a new restaurant – the pasta. “Yikes, this place is pretty pricey,” he said as he eyed the menu.

“Don’t worry about that, Chris said he would pay for everything. He just wants you to have a good time.”

“I can’t let him do that. This is a lot of money!”

“Yuuri! He knew the prices before he set this up. Please don’t make a fuss about it. We want to do this for you.”

Yuuri sighed and made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat.

Just then, Chris walked up with his friend. Chris motioned for his friend to sit across from Yuuri.

“This is Cao Bin. He’s from China, but he moved to New York to be a dancer, just like you, Yuuri! I met him at an audition last week.” 

Cao smiled shyly. “I moved here a few weeks ago. I’ve been auditioning on Broadway for the chorus, but it’s been rough.”

Yuuri replied, “Yes, auditions are the worst. I try to avoid them whenever possible.”

“Yuuri is a trainee at the Joffrey School of Ballet. We met in Detroit and studied there together, and now we are in phase two of our world takeover!”

“That’s Phichit for you, always plotting and scheming.”

  
The dinner was uneventful. Cao Bin was very nice and seemed like a good guy, but Yuuri just didn’t feel that spark between them. He wasn’t going to settle in his next relationship. He wanted someone who would make him feel energized and alive. Cao Bin just seemed to be a blank slate.

“Please excuse me, I will be right back,” Yuuri said as he pushed back from the table. He’d had too much wine and his bladder was about to burst.

Yuuri made his way to the men’s room a little unsteadily. Red wine made him dizzy, but he drank it anyway. He headed down the hallway carefully, but the toe of his shoe got caught in the edge of a rug, and he tripped, falling in what seemed like slow motion. 

He braced himself, but was caught at the last minute by a pair of strong arms. “Oh my goodness, are you all right?” The voice was low and there was a hint of an Eastern European accent.

“ _ Hai _ ! Yes, I’m fine, I’m fine…” Yuuri’s voice trailed off as the other man helped him up. “How embarrassing, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. You fell very gracefully,” the man said with a laugh.   


“Um, well, I learned how to fall when I used to ice skate as a kid.” 

Yuuri looked up at his rescuer’s face, and gasped. “Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like the ballet dancer, Viktor Nikiforov? But your hair is shorter.”

The man smiled, his whole face changing as he lit up. “Oh, yes, I hear that a lot. You know, this is the second time you’ve collided into me. Maybe it’s fate.”

“The second time?” 

The man ignored his question. He leaned forward. Their forehead were almost touching. Yuuri inched back a little bit. 

“Let’s meet tomorrow evening at Java Hut, how about 7pm?”

“Java Hut?”

“Yes, I’ve seen you there a few times. So yes? Tomorrow night? I’m looking forward to it.”

This guy was aggressive. Was he stalking him? Still, there was no denying the chemistry between them. It was everything he was missing when he was talking to Cao Bin.

“Okay…” Yuuri said cautiously. This might end up being am mistake but it couldn’t be worse than the last few dates he’d been on. Plus this guy was so much like Viktor it was uncanny. He felt like he was losing his mind.

The man put his hand on Yuuri’s cheek. “See you then…what is your name?”

He couldn’t be that much of a stalker if he didn’t know his name. “Yuuri,” he said, his voice trembling a little. The man’s hand was so warm on his face. It made his skin heat up.

“Yuuuuuri….” No one had ever said his name that way, like it was a mantra. He gulped. 

“And you are?”

The man smiled slyly, removing his hand from Yuuri’s cheek. “You were right, I am Viktor Nikiforov.” He spun around and made a dramatic exit, looking back at him from the doorway and winking.

“Wow…” Yuuri whispered, touching the cheek that Viktor had branded with his heated touch.

*   *   *   *   *

“Yuuri! You picked the wrong time to leave the table. We saw Viktor Nikiforov leaving the restaurant!” Phichit exclaimed when he returned.

Yuuri blushed fiercely but said nothing.

“Yuuri is Viktor’s biggest fan. Did you know Viktor cut his hair? It’s really short now. It looks so different!”

Yuuri said softly, “I’m sure no one else at the table is interested in the length of Viktor’s hair.” He took a shaky breath and swallowed down an entire glass of wine in one gulp.

The rest of the dinner went badly because Yuuri was preoccupied with thoughts of his encounter with Viktor. He was trying really hard to participate in the conversation, but all he wanted to go was go home and talk to Phichit about what happened. As the night went on, he started to wonder if he had just imagined it. 

On the subway ride home, Phichit confronted Yuuri about his behavior. “Wow, Yuuri, towards the end of the night, you really spaced out. What were you thinking about? It’s like you weren’t even there.”

“I’m sorry. I was trying really hard but something insane happened when I left the table. I tripped in the hallway and fell straight into the arms of Viktor Nikiforov.”

Phichit choked on his own spit, and pressed his finger to Yuuri’s chest. “Do. Not. Bullshit. Me.”

“I’m not! He wants to meet me at the Java Hut tomorrow at 7pm. He says he has seen me there before. At first I thought he was a crazy stalker because with the short hair I wasn’t sure it was really him.”

“Come on, you really didn’t recognize him right away?”

“When it comes to Viktor, I can’t really trust my judgment because he makes my brains melt. Phichit…he touched my cheek, and I can’t stop thinking about how hot his hand felt on my skin.”

Phichit’s mouth dropped open. “Wow.”

“That’s what I said…”

“So I guess Cao Bin is a no, then?” Phichit and Yuuri caught each other’s eyes and tried to hold their laughter for a few seconds, then burst into hysterics. Yuuri felt really bad about it later. 

*   *   *   *   *

The next day seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Yuuri spent the day alternating between dreading his date with Viktor, and daydreaming about what might happen. He tried to eat something and it immediately came back up. He tried to sleep the day away but ended up staring at the ceiling.

“I don’t think I’m going to survive until 7pm, Peach.”

“Let’s sit on the couch and watch  _ The King and the Skater _ . We can sing along and do our own commentary, it will be fun!”

“That is the best worst movie ever.”

Phichit wrapped Yuuri up in a blanket like a precious little bundle and the rest of the afternoon flew by.

*    *   *   *   *

**Date #5 – Viktor**

“How do I look?”

Phichit straightened Yuuri’s collar and fussed with his shirt cuffs. “That’s better. Blue is a good color for you. And those jeans show off your assets,” Phichit giggled, and Yuuri rolled his eyes. “Let me do your hair, I want to slick it back for you.”

“I usually only do that when I’m performing.”

“Isn’t tonight the performance of your life, Yuuri?”

Yuuri blanched. 

“Oh no, I shouldn’t have said that. Forget I said that.” 

By the time Phichit fixed his hair, Yuuri felt a little better. He looked in the mirror and he thought he looked okay. As good as he could look, anyway.

“Have fun, okay? Don’t overthink everything. Just be yourself.”

“Um, I’ll do my best…”

Yuuri arrived at the Java Hut fifteen minutes early. He wanted to have time to compose himself. He was about to go on a date with his idol, his ideal. He should enjoy it while he could, because this was sure to be another catastrophe.

The barista had his green tea ready, and handed it over, whistling low. “You look like you tried really hard this time, my friend. Nice.”

“Um, thanks?” Yuuri took the tea with trembling hands and sat down at his favorite table. He did some breathing exercises but he still felt like he was about to burst out of his skin.

Viktor swept into the room like a cool breeze. He was wearing a long black coat and a soft grey scarf. Yuuri was relieved to see that he had brought his dog with him. Nothing put him more at ease than a dog. 

Yuuri stood up and waved at Viktor, who waved back, smiling brightly. Makkachin boofed and pulled Viktor towards him.

Viktor laughed as he was dragged over to the table. Yuuri knelt down to greet the poodle, and was bowled over by the very affectionate dog.

“Makka! Please don’t be so forward with my date, I haven’t even had the chance to kiss him yet!” Viktor laughed, and apologized. “Please forgive my dog, she gets so excited around new people.”

Yuuri ruffled her fur. “It’s okay, dogs can do no wrong, especially Makkachin.” He blushed as he realized he was giving away the fact that he already knew the dog’s name. He didn’t want to seem like a crazy fan. (Even though that is what he was.)

The barista brought over a drink for Viktor. Seemed as if he was a regular, like Yuuri, and always got the same thing. Viktor handed money to the barista, telling him to keep the change, as the barista said, ““Here’s your upside-down caramel macchiato.”

Yuuri tried not to giggle. That was the most ridiculous drink order he’d ever heard. Then again, it fit Viktor perfectly, because Viktor himself was so over the top.

Viktor thanked the barista and then focused his attention on Yuuri, who sat across from Viktor. Makkachin was laying peacefully at Viktor’s feet. 

Viktor took Yuuri’s hand. “Thank you so much for meeting with me, Yuuri.”

Yuuri withdrew his hand, running it through his hair to cover up his instinctive reaction. He didn’t take well to people touching him without warning. Viktor frowned, but smiled frozenly, waiting for Yuuri to say something.

“Um, so, you said you had seen me here before?” 

“Yes. I’ve seen you here on some dates, it seemed. They didn’t look like they went very well. Especially the night that you almost got into a fight. Lucky for you, Makkachin barked.”

“That was Makkachin?” Yuuri was stunned. How had he never noticed Viktor was in the Java Hut before? He did tend to have tunnel vision, especially when he was nervous. 

“Yes, I was going on some Tinder dates. My roommate Phichit basically forced me to put myself back out there. I haven’t had very good luck, though.”

“Maybe your luck is about to change, Yuuri,” Viktor said softly.

Yuuri cleared his throat nervously and decided to change the subject. “So…what brings you to New York, Viktor? And how long will you be here? And why did you cut your hair?” Yuuri blurted these questions out, then blushed. Why couldn’t he just shut up instead of babbling?

“Well, I am in New York because I was invited by the Joffrey School of Ballet to be an instructor for the year. And I cut my hair because I thought it was time for a change,” he added cagily.

Yuuri leaned in closer. “Did you say Joffrey School of Ballet? I am a trainee there. I will be your student!”

“Oh, you are?” Viktor took Yuuri’s hand again, and this time he didn’t withdraw it. “I look forward to correcting your position.” Viktor winked. 

Yuuri’s ears were burning, he was blushing so hard. He wondered if it would be a breach of protocol to date an instructor, then decided he didn’t care. It’s not like they were going to be together for very long, anyway. It would blow up in his face soon enough.

Just then, someone walked by their table carrying a Pomeranian. The cupid’s bow of Viktor’s mouth seemed to form a heart as he smiled. He clapped his hands like a happy child and exclaimed, “Your dog is adorable! May I pet it please?”

The woman smiled and nodded while Viktor cooed and petted the dog. Yuuri had never seen this side of Viktor. It was utterly pure and charming, and helped him relax a little.

Finally, the woman walked away, and Viktor turned back to Yuuri, holding his chin in his hands. “Oh, Yuuri! Wasn’t that the cutest dog? We should take Makka to Central Park tomorrow, it would be so fun!”

Tomorrow? Viktor was already making future plans? Yuuri couldn’t say no to Viktor, so he just nodded.

“What else do you like to do in New York, Yuuri? There’s so much to do and see, it’s overwhelming.”

Yuuri started telling Viktor about all the fun things he had done with Phichit, and the things he wanted to do but hadn’t yet, and the crazy rumors he had heard about but hadn’t had a chance to verify. Viktor said he wanted to try them all with Yuuri.  He started imagining spending the entire year with Viktor by his side, but then he shook his head, clearing those thoughts. He would greedily take whatever time Viktor was willing to share with him, however short, until Viktor figured out that he was a boring nobody who would amount to nothing.

Yuuri’s phone buzzed, and he glanced down to see a text from Phichit. It was 930 – he had been talking to Viktor for over two hours!

“What’s wrong, Yuuri?”

“I just noticed what time it was. I have to get home soon so I can rest up for the first day of school tomorrow. I wish I didn’t have to go.” This time Yuuri was telling the truth. He wished he could stay and talk to Viktor for the rest of the night.

“Ah, yes. Well, perhaps I will see you there tomorrow,” Viktor said with a smile.  “Would you mind if I walked you back to your home, Yuuri?”

“Um, that would be nice, thank you.”

They stood, and Viktor took the dog’s leash in one hand, and placed his other hand at the crook of Yuuri’s elbow. Yuuri felt like he was in a dream. He reached down to his thigh and pinched himself. No, he wasn’t dreaming. This was real.

The crisp, autumn air felt good in his lungs, and he breathed deeply. Yuuri felt so at peace and content. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of Viktor’s hand on his arm. He was going to etch this moment in his mind forever, to play back whenever he felt unhappy. 

“What are you thinking about?” Viktor asked. Yuuri glanced over and saw Viktor was gazing at him intently. His eyes were icy blue, but they held a heat in them that burned through him.

“Just thinking about what a lovely night it is. I love the fall, it’s my favorite season,” Yuuri replied inanely. 

“New York in the fall is supposed to be one of the most romantic places in the world,” Viktor enthused. They stopped walking and faced each other.

“Is that so?” Yuuri squeaked. His heart felt like it was going so fast that he might keel over. He held his breath, afraid to do or say anything to ruin the moment.

Viktor reach over to touch Yuuri’s face, searing his skin once again.

“Let’s find out together,” Viktor whispered, as he softly pressed his lips to Yuuri’s.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my twitter pals for their encouragement and support! Especially Dommi for helping me make sure this was ready for public consumption...I haven't written fic in over ten years. If y'all like this I might do a sequel for it.


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